A friend gave me 2 decanters (in sports car style) of Jim Beam dated 1987. They also have a sticker which says "Aged 100 Months" on them. They are unopened but apparently are losing their collector's status as the stickers are peeling off and a light is broken off. The sports car bodies are plastic but the actual container of the booze itself appears to be some kind of ceramic material.

Soooo, bottom line: are these safe to consume?

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Blue_Dragon [Member]

5/14/2006 4:27:11 AM EST

They are. I have consumed a couple bottles of Jim Beam that were 30+ years old with no problem.

Thats bullshit. They dont rot or spoil in the traditional way but bottled spirits get fucked over time. Some of the fluid will evaporate and the alcohol and other fluids will undergo chemical changes.

Some of the old shit tastes like shit. Safe to drink but will not taste good.

They will not AGE in glass bottles. The get older and nastier. They only age in the wooden kegs where the flavor improves.

Hence the "IIRC". Not being a drinker the stuff tastes like crap IMO anyways.

harleyrkc [Team Member]

5/14/2006 7:19:26 AM EST

Good booze only gets better with time

AFARR [Team Member]

5/14/2006 7:30:32 AM EST

I dunno, but Mead definitely improves with age.

I fooled around with making my own beer once.

Made 3 batches--

First was great (Foster's style Lager).

Second was OK--a bit undercarbonated, but tasted OK. (Nut Brown Ale).

Last batch was pretty good (forget what it was).

Then I got the brilliant idea to make Mead.

I took:

Honey--boiled it to kill any bacteria, then simmered.Raw Wheat Grains, mixed in the honey while it simmered (just for kicks)

Added water to the proper Specific Gravity.

Added Champaign yeast (the health food store where I got some supplies had some out and I decided to try it).

Fermented.

Added a touch of corn sugar to carbonate (guessed on the amount).

Bottled.

Tasted in a week--tasted like Crap.

Put the remainder of the case aside (and a couple of quart bottles with spring lids).

A couple of weeks later, some of the bottles broke--made a sticky mess.

I opened the remainder of the bottles and dumped the stuff.

I forgot about the 2 large quart bottles.

Found the quart bottles when I moved a year later--dumped one.

Got brave and tasted the second---VERY, VERY smooth, nice flavor, mildly carbonated. I let some buddies try it and they liked it also. Shame I threw out the rest.

thelastgunslinger [Team Member]

5/14/2006 7:40:44 AM EST

Originally Posted By harleyrkc:Good booze only gets better with time

Not once it has been bottled. The aging process only improves liquor when it is aged in wood (mostly oak) barrels. Sitting in a bottle does nothing to improve the liquor, but if it is well sealed and has been kept relatively cool, then it should still be GTG.

chrome1 [Team Member]

5/14/2006 7:41:28 AM EST

Originally Posted By Redcap:If unopened, they should be pretty good.

Agreed .

It's the effects of air that degrade the flavor . A fullsealed bottle should be fine .

Ponyboy [Team Member]

5/14/2006 8:13:58 AM EST

Originally Posted By chrome1:

Originally Posted By Redcap:If unopened, they should be pretty good.

Agreed .

It's the effects of air that degrade the flavor . A fullsealed bottle should be fine .

Not only air, but also light.

brassburn [Member]

5/14/2006 8:14:53 AM EST

yep, enjoy!

DanishM1Garand [Member]

5/14/2006 8:48:19 AM EST

Originally Posted By swiseuf:nope, send them to me for disposal.

Damnit I wanted to dispose it.

BTW it didnt get any more mellow in the bottle the ageing takes place due to the wood and charcaol in the barrel. Whiskey unlike wine stops ageing in glass.

LWilde [Team Member]

5/14/2006 9:18:14 AM EST

Absolutely NOT! Send it to me and I'll dispose of it safely for you.

ABNAK [Member]

5/14/2006 4:53:50 PM EST

Well gentlemen, I can now personally vouch for the fact that the bourbon in question is FINE AND DANDY!!!

WOOOHOOOO!!!!!!

MBOFFICER [Member]

5/14/2006 5:02:16 PM EST

DON'T DRINK IT.......... It's posion. Mail it to me and I'll get rid of it for you....